Almighty
by taytayfanatical
Summary: High school is over, but the drama in Charlie's life isn't. Now that she's graduated, it's up to her to fight the physical battles and save the world. But can she fight the internal battles and save her own world? *sequel to Collision/Hiatus*
1. Chapter 1: Graduation

School had quickly come to a close. Things at Sky High settled down after we defeated Royal Pain, and school returned to normal. Well, normal for people with super powers. The criminals who had taken a part in the plans had been taken to a juvenile detention center. Beth was obviously among them, and I hadn't seen her since homecoming. Preparation for graduation took up most of my time. Warren and I were getting ready to become superheroes. It was exciting, but nerve racking at the same time. I found it odd that I was finally graduating from high school. I'd been looking forward to this day since I knew it would be happening

"You ready?" Warren had come over to pick me up so we could get to the ceremony early, as was mandatory for graduating seniors.

"Yeah, let me get my cap and gown." Warren wore his traditional jeans and Vans, but wore a red dress shirt for the occasion. His hair was getting long, and needed a cut, but I wasn't going to be the one who told him that. His mother could tackle that argument.

I had decided on a silky blue patterned dress that fell just past my knees, along with white ballet flats. My shoes may not have added any height, but I was fine with that. Warren had once revealed to me that he thought it was cute when girls were about a foot shorter than him.

"All right, we're good to go." He handed me my personalized blue helmet and I hopped on his motorcycle; my arms around his waist, and he drove off toward the school, causing my stomach to explode with butterflies. I tried to blame it on the drop-off, but I knew it was because of the graduation ceremony. I wasn't nervous about graduating high school, per say. It was the growing up part, and becoming an adult; taking care of myself and saving the world. Not only would Warren and I be graduating today, but we would also be assigned our hero support, and getting our hero names and costumes. We'd been sized a few months before, and shown our colors. It was a huge ordeal.

When we arrived at Sky High, I grasped my boyfriend's hand tightly, looking for comfort. Warren knew me well, so he held me close, offering me what I wanted. I couldn't believe this was finally happening. It was all so surreal. This was actually happening. It seemed like yesterday that Warren and I were at hero placement, and just yesterday we were defeating Royal Pain and her band of miscreants. High school had flashed right before my eyes.

"I think I'm going to visit Beth after this." I commented to Warren. It seemed like a good idea.

"Why would you do that?" I shrugged

"Because it's been a while since I've seen her. And it's not like she can hurt me, she's in containment. Not to mention she was my best friend."

"_Was_ being the keyword." Warren reminded me. "Then you realized what a bitch she was, and you dipped." I sighed. "Look, do what you want, I'm not going to stop you. But I'm not going for moral support, or whatever it is boyfriends do these days." I had to smile at that.

"I'm not asking you to do that. I need to do this on my own." We arrived at the football field and sat in our respective places. Our surnames, Kade and Peace, were very far apart. I was extremely bored listening to the senior vice president give the speech, then the valedictorian got up to present his own speech, and finally, they started calling names. I had zoned out until they called me up.

"Charlotte Kade!" I walked up to the podium where Principal Powers was. She handed me my diploma, and shook my hand, congratulating me. I moved my tassel from one side to the other on my cap, and waved at my friends and family who had come to the ceremony. Scott had used his power of light to make a huge display of my name and Warren's; both which shone brightly. Mom looked gorgeous, and my brothers were hollering like crazy. My friends were trying to outdo them, but no one can beat an eight and six-year-old in a screaming match.

"Warren Peace!" More shouting came from the crowd from our friends and family. My parents had joined Warren's mother and had joined in making a big scene as well, hence the glowing sign Scott made for him. My boyfriend pretended to be stoic about the entire ordeal, but I knew he was secretly pleased at the attention he so rarely received. Things like that were always nice.

"Now, as graduating seniors, there is always a placement. Heroes are paired with their hero support, and it is always at graduation that we do this." The principal paused for dramatic affect. She was good at that. "So without further ado, will all the heroes come onto the stage?" The heroes stood up and made their was toward the stage. It was still in alphabetical order, so I couldn't lean on Warren for support. I was terribly anxious to know what was going to happen. I watched as Principal Powers dismissed everyone else except the hero support. There were some heroes with amazing abilities who chose a normal life. They accepted their gifts graciously, or hated them. And not everyone wanted to do field work. They wanted to be teachers, or doctors. Of course, every superhero needed an alibi, but these students wanted nothing to do with the superhero life, so they would not be assigned as a superhero. Principal Powers was good at respecting people's wishes. However, they had to be dismissed in order to keep our secret...well, a secret. Nobody could know except our immediate family, and the people who would be involved in field work. It was crucial that we keep our secret identities.

"Charlotte Kade and Austin Alexander." People applauded politely as the senior boy walked up. He looked like a normal teenager. He had shaggy dark blond hair, blue eyes, and a killer smile. He was adorable.

"Nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand and I shook it.

"Nice to meet you too. I must admit, I thought you were a junior or something." He grinned. Yep, great smile.

"I get that a lot. It's not big deal."

"Warren Peace and Jack Thompson." A childish-looking boy walked up to my boyfriend and appeared to be very timid. Warren looked over at me exasperatedly and I had to stifle a chuckle.

"Sow what's your ability?" I asked Austin. "Mine's water, by the way."

"I know that much about you." My sidekick replied. "And I talk to animals. Just talk, nothing else."

"That's so cool." I stated honestly. "I wish I could do that, then my parents would have to get me a dog."

"Dogs are nice. They're determined to never let you down."

"Man's best friend."The principal finally finished and threw our caps in the air, excited that it was all finally over. Then, the students began swarming around the audience, trying to find their families. It wasn't hard for me to find my company; I just had to follow the glowing neon sign hovering above my stepfather. Warren and I were hand in hand while our hero support lingered behind us, chatting animatedly.

"Dude, at least you got a babe. I got Mr. Hothead over here. How is that going to work. I blend into my surroundings. He'll probably get mad at me for changing the wrong color, and kill me." Warren grasped my hand tighter. His hand was getting hot, so I powered up a bit to cool him down.

"You should have more faith in him, dude." Austin told him. I was liking this guy already. "There's a reason they're dating. Charlotte isn't the type to date murderers." There was a chuckled after that.

"Yeah, but she was friends with an attempted murderer." Warren commented darkly. I nudged him in the ribs.

"_Was_ being the keyword." Warren only chuckled.

* * *

Charlie's graduation dress:

.com/upload/images/marc_jacobs_woodcut_garden_


	2. Chapter 2: The Future

"Scott, you can put down the 'sign'." I told my stepfather. He chuckled, but did as I said.

"How do you guys feel now that you've graduated?" My mom asked.

"Great. Now I can get out of here." Warren responded. We all chuckled.

"Guys, this is Austin, my hero support." I gestured for my new friend to come forward and present himself. He shook hands with my parents, and they started talking about the Hero Organization.

"Warren, who is this?" Mrs. Peace asked politely, inviting her son to introduce Jack.

"This is Jack." Warren said exasperatedly. Jack came forward timidly to shake hands with Mrs. Peace. Warren's mom was one of the sweetest people I ever met, and she didn't only shake hands with Jack, she openly hugged him.

"I hope my son doesn't give you any grief. Keep an eye on him for me, will you? It's like he_ tries_ to get himself killed." Jack finally smiled, which, like Austin's, was very cute and boyish. "And if Warren threatens to roast you alive, don't believe him. That's just him thinking he's tough." Even I had to laugh at that.

"Mom." Warren warned.

"It's true." I added. "He doesn't have enough testosterone, so he tries to make up for it by threatening people."

"Hey, I don't threaten you." Warren exclaimed. I laughed.

"Which is good, sweetie, because I would only threaten you back." I gave him a hug, and lingered there in his arms. It was good he controlled fire, because he got my natural cool body temperature up a few degrees.

"Notice how he doesn't deny the testosterone part." My mom intervened. We all laughed, except for Warren.

"Is there a reason I'm always the butt of everyone's jokes?" He asked sardonically.

"Because it's so easy to make fun of you." I replied with a grin and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey, I want you to meet my family." Austin announced.

"Ok, let's go. I'll see you later, Warren." I bounced off with Austin to meet his parents. I wondered if he had any siblings. I looked back, and saw Warren following Jack to Jack's family. They stopped at a buff black man and a woman who was shorter than me. I chuckled at the irony.

"Mom, Dad, this is Charlotte Kade." I turned around to see a blonde woman in a white dress. She smiled and shook my hand. Austin's dad was a little on the skinny side, and had black hair with glasses. Austin definitely got his good looks from his mom.

"What's your power?" Mr. Alexander asked me.

"I control water and ice."

"And your parents are Vixen, and Lumiere, right?"

"Well, Lumiere is my stepfather. My biological father is Poseidon." I corrected him.

"Do you have any siblings?" It was like playing 20 Questions.

"I have two little brothers." I answered.

"Any sign of abilities?"

"Dad!"

"David!" Austin and his mother seemed astonished at Mr. Alexander's behavior.

"I'm just asking!" He defended himself. "I'm curious as to who it is our son is supporting."

"My husband never enjoyed the Heroes he was working with, so he's always been warning our son about them."

"That's not true."

"Yeah, is it, dad." Austin told his father.

"What's your ability, Mr. Alexander?"

"I'm basically a lie detector." He told me.

"Really? I should get you to talk to my brothers. I'm determined to find out which one stole my diary." They all laughed.

"What about you, Mrs. Alexander?"

"I'm a regular." She answered. "No powers for me."

"Oh. Sorry, I-."

"Oh, it's not harm, sweetie. I'm quite content to be working as a tax attorney." She replied. "I think I prefer it, actually."

"Really? I can't imagine life without my abilities." I told her. "It's the only thing I've known."

"Well, that's the difference. Basically, I know both sides of life. I was raised in the world where superheroes existed, but I wasn't one of them. And now I'm the wife and mother of people with abilities. So I can understand both sides." I nodded in understanding. "And please make sure my baby doesn't get hurt." Mrs. Alexander coddled her son. "He's the only one I've got."

"Carrie, don't coddle him." Mr. Alexander told his wife. "He's an adult now."

"Seriously, mom."

"Don't worry about Austin, Mrs. Alexander." I told her. "I mean, he'll probably be the one making sure I don't get killed."

"Well, I hope we can trust you to _not_ to get killed." David said, smiling.

"I'll do my best, sir." I stood in a military position and saluted him, causing us to chuckle once more.

"So, what are Jack's parents like?" I asked Warren later that night. We had had a graduation party at my house, inviting the Peaces, Alexanders, and Thompsons. It was mostly us kids who hung out, while Ben and Sam played around with Jack's younger siblings.

"They're nice. Very cordial." My boyfriend replied.

"I noticed they kind of stuck to themselves." Warren nodded. "They have such a big family." I stated. "Seven kids."

"You know what they say about us Heroes."

"Either one kid, or we reproduce like rabbits." I quoted. "My mom thinks she's pregnant again."

"Really? Has she had an appointment?" I shook my head.

"No, she's six weeks late, and she's hungry all the time. So she scheduled an appointment for sometime next week."

"That's cool." I nodded with a big smile.

"I hope I have a little sister." Warren laughed.

"You _need_ a little sister. That way you stop babying Sam." I nodded.

"He's almost seven."

"Exactly my point." I kissed him. It was times like these that I cherished the most. The nice, long conversations between Warren and me. We didn't worry about the population at school, or our now sophmore friends; we only thought about the moment, and what was going through our heads. They created picture perfect memories. And I never wanted them to end. "What are you thinking about?"

"This?" He looked confused. "Just how nothing really matters right now. And we can talk about anything we're thinking about. Like now." I grinned. "What are you thinking about?"

"Babies." I laughed. "I'm serious."

"I know. That's why I'm laughing. You're the last person anyone would expect to be thinking about babies. But what about babies?"

"I wonder what it's like to have one."

"Would you like to give birth?"

"Hell, no." He exclaimed, making me laugh. "Like, what would it be like to be a dad, you know?"

"Or a mom." He nodded.

"To be a family. What's it like?"

"You have family." I told him. "It's different, but they're still family." He thought for a moment and then nodded.

"But I mean, a mom, dad, and kids." I thought about it too. To be married, and start having a family of my own. It was strange to think about.

"I don't think I'd start popping out kids until I'm done with my Hero days."

"Really? I'd want to be just like the Commander and Jetstream." Warren admitted. "Have a kid or two, and still be totall kickass." I laughed.

"Yeah, but what if some villain took your family hostage?" Warren shrugged.

"That's what secret identities are for." He answered.

"What if your identity was revealed?"

"You ask too many questions." I laughed. "I would make sure no one knew my secret identity, and come home to the perfect wife and kids." He kissed me.

"The perfect family man." I cooed.

"I kind of like the sound of that."

"Aw, Warren's going soft." I teased, kissing him again. My boyfriend scoffed.

"As if."


	3. Chapter 3: Romance

I could remember having sex with Warren for the first time. It was after Winter Formal, and we ended up sitting on top of a hill after the dance. Warren made a bonfire, which kept us warm in the chilly night, and we were sitting on a few blankets stacked up on each other. We were facing the city, just looking at the lights, and when we lied down, we could see the stars perfectly. It wasn't set out to be romantic; Warren wasn't like that. But it was nice to just lay there and count the shooting stars with each other, just like we did the summers before high school started.

It started with a few soft kisses. And those slowly became more sensual. I could remember exploring his body with my hands and mouth, and him doing the same with mine. I remembered friends talking about the experience of having their virginity taken, and how strange it was for them. For Warren and me, it wasn't strange at all. It wasn't fast; we just took our time. We were getting to know each other on a whole new level. Of course there was passion, and sensuality, but it wasn't crazy or erotic. It was just right.

We didn't base our relationship on sex, though it was good, and we did it often. Warren and I were too good of friends to do that. We respected each other, and were comfortable enough with each other that nothing was awkward between us. And this night outdid everything. Warren's mom was working the graveyard shift, so we went over to his house. Oddly enough, my parents were ok with me spending the night at my boyfriend's place. And Warren's mom let him stay over at mine. Granted, we never lied to our parents about what we did, but they never asked. I didn't assume that they didn't know; they must have. But it was something that we didn't talk about.

The kisses never got boring. And we always tried new things. There were no strange moves or positions, but we always found out something new about each other's bodies, and the way our minds worked with it. It really let me know that Warren was special to me. And our relationship was more that a high school romance. Dare I say it? This was love. The real kind that was respectful, forgiving, loyal, and trustworthy. He was my best friend, and was perfect for me in every way. He warmed me up, and I cooled him down. It was the perfect combination.

"You know how I was thinking about babies earlier?" Warren was lying on his back, and I was resting on top of him, my eyes drooping from sleep. He was doodling with his finger on my back, and it felt very nice.

"Mhmm." I muttered.

"And how it would be nice to be a family man, coming home to the perfect wife and kids?" I nodded. "I think it would be nice if I came home to you every night." That caught my attention. I lifted my head up to look at him better. He was dead serious.

"You want me to be your wife?"

"Well, I mean, it could happen. And I wouldn't mind it." He stuttered. I smiled and laid back down on his chest.

"I wouldn't mind that either." I replied. I was still smiling.

"Charlotte Peace." Warren muttered. "It has a nice ring to it."

"It does." I agreed, still smiling.

"What would we name our kids?" He asked. That made me laugh.

"Why don't we just focus on going to sleep right now, ok?" I felt Warren kiss the top of my head.

"Ok, good night, Mrs. Peace." I felt extremely giddy.

"Good night, Mr. Peace."

* * *

**So, here's a little bit of fluff for you guys. I know it's early in their lives to be thinking about marriage. I mean, they're only eighteen. But they're mature enough to think about the future, and what they mean to each other. And understand that they're not necessarily engaged. They're only promised to each other. I think there's a big difference. They both have different views on what they want to do with their lives, and they still have to get their career going. Don't worry, the crime fighting will begin soon.**

**By the way, any ideas on what Warren's mom's name is, or should be?**


	4. Chapter 4: Reliability

"Charlie! You're costume was delivered!" I heard my mom shout from downstairs. I'd been reading in my room, so I descended the stairs to find her holding a box, looking extremely excited. "Well, come open it."

"Mom, you're crazy." I told her. She was grinning like a fool. But I appeased her and took the package and set it on the floor.

"It's not every day your daughter gets her superhero suit." She tried to defend her methods. I just smiled, and kept my excitement inside. I took a steak knife and cut through the tape and cardboard carefully, making sure not to rip the fabric inside. I pulled out my costume with reverence. And I absolutely fell in love with it.

The material was, of course, blue. It was a single shade of royal blue, and the material itself was leather. I knew I would feel dreadfully sexy in this. I ran off back to my bedroom to try it on and show my mom and brothers (Scott was still at work). I pulled the suit on pant first. The leggings ran up my legs nicely, making them look longer. Then I pulled on the tunic. It had long sleeves that wrapped around my thumbs, and in the back, there was a white ribbon that tied the piece together. My boots were white as well, and the designs on the front of the tunic were white too, giving the shirt the look of a corset. And although it was leather, it was quite comfortable. I'd imagine it had to be, since I would be fighting crime in this outfit.

My suit was discretely padded, which would make it easier to move around. And it would also prevent me from getting too hurt. As I looked in the mirror, I found that my assumption had been correct. I felt very sexy indeed.

"Well, Warren would get a kick out of that." My mom stated coyly when I showed off my new suit. I blushed at her words, but didn't deny them.

"Charlie, you look pretty." Sam complimented. I smiled and picked him up.

"You look like a real superhero." Ben added. My mom gave a wet smile.

"Oh, my little girl is all grown up." She cooed.

"Not yet, mom." I assured her. "I'm still a little girl."

"Yeah, except for the slumber parties at Warren's house." She mumbled. I blushed again.

"Mom!" She only laughed. "Hey, at least you approve of him."

"I know. It's only natural to fall in love with your best friend." That reminded me.

"Right." Mom knew something was up. "Um, do you think I could go to the Juvenile Detention Center later?"

"Why would you do that?"

"I kind of wanted to visit Beth." My mom still looked confused. "It's just something I need to do. I need to talk to her and figure out what happened."

"All right. Is Warren going with you?" I shook my head. "Well, take my car. After you change, though." I nodded and raced up the stairs to put back on my civilian clothes. It was summer, so I only wore a dress and Gladiators. Mom gave me her keys to the Honda Pilot and I took off.

It wasn't that hard to find the Center. The building had the words written clearly across the main entrance. All I had to do was park, and get a visitor's pass.

"Um, I'm here to see Beth Newton."

"Well, that's a first." I felt guilty. After the Homecoming incident, newspapers all over the state had taken the liberty of writing articles describing the event, and also the aftermath, which included the student's families. I had read that the Newtons had disowned Beth, and acted as though she had never lived. It had actually been very sad to read. The guard typed in a few numbers into the keypad, and the door opened, revealing Beth in an orange jumpsuit, watching the telly. "Miss Newton, you have a visitor." There was no response, so I was hesitant to walk in. "Don't worry, the room stabilizes her power. You'll be safe." I nodded and walked in; the door hissing shut behind me. I took a seat on the cold, metal chair.

"Um, hi, Beth. Long time, no see." There was silence. "Graduation was last week. We got our hero support, costumes, everything." There was still no response. But I hadn't come here to just leave after a few minutes.

"You think I'm not aware of that?" She finally spoke. Her voice was hoarse, as though she hadn't used it in months. "You think I never counted down the days until graduation, when I would finally be free of that prison?" She gave an ironic laugh. "Well, I was so excited, that I had to transfer to another prison. And it's all your fault."

"Excuse me? Are you seriously going to blame me for all of this?"

"Well, it's true." She finally turned to face me, and I had to hold back a grimace. The bubbling beauty was gone, and in it's place was a ragged criminal who forgot how to take care of herself. Her once sleek, curly hair was now dead and straight. Her eyes were bloodshot with bags underneath, her lips were chapped, and her cheeks had lost it's rosy color. In fact, her entire skin tone seemed to have lightened a few shades from lack of sun. She was skinny, as her jumpsuit was practically drowning her, and her nails were brittle. She looked sick.

"No, it's not." I protested.

"It's your fault that I befriended Gwen!" She exclaimed. "It's your fault that my powers got out of control, and it's your fault that I tried to kill you that night!"

"Oh, right, I forced you to try to kill me. Right." I retorted sardonically. "That was your choice, Beth. I had no say in that."

"Well, if you hadn't ditched me, then maybe that wouldn't have happened." Was she threatening me?

"No one wants to be around someone like that." I tried explaining. "Least of all, me. I was dealing with my own issues at that time, and listening to you mope and whine about trivial things wasn't high on my to-do list. So yeah, I ditched you, and I can understand if that hurt you. But what would you have done?" She didn't answer. "I was so done listening to you complain about your life, and you always thought that your struggles were worse than mine. You never listened, Beth. After a while, I just shut up. Because there was no reasoning with you."

"What do you know about struggles? Has your father died? Does your mom expect great things from you? Were you stressed from everything, including grades, boys, and honesty? Things aren't easy for me, and I thought I could rely on you to help me through that."

"How dare you act that way!" I exploded. "My earliest memories are of struggle! My real father _did_ die, and yeah, my mom expects great things from me. I'm her daughter." I emphasized. "I was stressed about grades, boys, honesty, friends and becoming a superhero." I informed her. "You have no idea what I was going through during that time period. Because you never thought to ask. And I was done being the reliable one. Because I was nothing more than your diary. I never did anything except listen to what you had to say."

"Your parents are Lumiere and Vixen." It was as if she hadn't heard me. "You have two adorable little bothers who practically worship you. And you had Hot Head in love with you ever since I can remember. You and your parents are closer than even my dad and I were. So maybe I don't know what you were going through, but it obviously can't have been that bad."

"You have no idea what I was going through. So you have no right to judge how bad it was. Everyone goes through trials, Beth. But guess what? They manage to get through it. And it's not through moping, or complaining to a friend. It's by working hard to understand the situation, and getting over it." There was silence for a moment.

"I thought I could rely on you, Charlie. I really did."

"Well, if you did, then why couldn't I rely on you?"

"Because you had Hot Head for that. You never needed me, but I needed you."

"Warren has nothing to do with this! This is about our friendship, not his and mine." God, would she ever get the point? "Our friendship was so much different. Girls needs girls, just like boys needs boys. There's a difference, Beth. And if you were jealous, then that's your fault as well. It was your choice to be that way, just like it was your choice to assist Gwen in taking over the school. I relied on Warren because he listened to me, the same way I listened to him. Friendship is a two-way street, Beth. It takes two people to make it work, and I was so done with trying to make it work. Just like I'm done right now." I stood up to leave, but she stopped me.

"Please don't leave. I still rely on you." I sighed.

"I can't do this, Beth. You're going to have to rely on someone else now."


	5. Chapter 5: Pinky Pact

"How did meeting with Beth go?" Warren was working tonight, so I was eating dinner with my family.

"You met up with Beth?" My stepfather asked.

"Well, meeting up with her as much as you can get at the Juvenile Center." I told him. My brothers looked confused. "I hope you never have to go there." I told them seriously. Sam grinned cutely while Ben looked unsatisfied with my answer. But he kept picking at his cabbage salad anyway.

"How did it go?" My mom repeated.

"Pretty bad." I answered honestly. "She's turned into a bitter person. So all we did was yell."

"Oh, that's nice." Scott replied flatly, taking a sip of lemonade. "Yelling certainly solves things." I punched him playfully.

"I was trying to be nice, you know, telling her what was going on, but she kept blaming me for her being there."

"You didn't believe her, did you?" Mom wondered.

"Are you kidding? Of course not." My parents smiled. "I tried to help her realize that this was all her choice. I mean, there was some heavy baggage that we kept throwing at each other, but that was kind of the main point. She though everything was my fault, and how I had no reason to stop being her friend, because my life was so perfect, and how she relied on me."

"Friendship is a two-way street." Scott told me.

"That's exactly what I said." I told him.

"We raised a very smart girl." Scott told my mom. She smiled and nodded in agreement.

"I tried explaining to her that because of her attitude, I couldn't rely on her, which is what caused our friendship to fall apart. I believe that reliability is what keeps a friendship going. Obviously there's honesty, trust, respect, but reliability is the base of all that."

"You sound intelligent." Sam spoke up. The table started laughing at that, even Ben, who had been scowling since dinner began, chuckled at his little brother's words.

"I was saying earlier how grown up she is." Mom told her husband. "She doesn't believe me, but just in her judgment, and way of thinking, it's clear that she's growing up."

"Pretty soon, you'll be leaving for the Industry." Scott said. "Have you written a letter, yet?"

"Er, I didn't know I was supposed to." I admitted.

"Well, you can't just walk in there and start training. You have to write a letter, get accepted, meet with a counselor, and get everything set up. It's a very long routine." My stepfather explained to me. "I mean, it's basically like college, but without the academic training."

"Well, it's good that I know now." I chuckled. "Warren will probably be glad to know of this information too."

"Have you thought about a University?" Mom asked. "I mean, you have to have a secret identity. What have you thought of doing?"

"I have no idea. The only thing I've been focusing on is being a superhero, like you guys." They smiled.

"Well, I know someone who won't be a superhero if they don't eat their veggies." Scott looked pointedly at Ben, who scowled again. "C'mon, if you don't eat vegetables, you won't grow up big and strong."

"Well, what if he doesn't want guns like those?" I gestured to his huge biceps.

"Are you kidding? Who doesn't want these?" He flexed and kissed his muscles, making us all laugh. "Are you saying you want to look like Austin? The skinny kid with no muscles at all?"

"Hey, I take offense to that!" I exclaimed. "My hero support is awesome."

"Yeah, but he's still skinny as hell."

"Scott!" Mom exclaimed. "Language!"

"Sorry, babe." He leaned over and kissed her. I crinkled my nose in disgust.

"No wonder they talk about Heroes breeding like rabbits. You guys can't take your hands off each other." They broke apart.

"Oh! Speaking of breeding, I went to the doctor today." My mom started. She paused for a dramatic pause.

"Well? C'mon, I want to know!" I was exploding with excitement.

"Yeah, tell us!" Scott pleaded, just like me.

"I want another brother!" Ben hollered.

"Yeah! So I won't be little!" Sam agreed.

"I'm pregnant." Mom cried out with joy. I squealed with excitement, and Scott landed another kiss on mom. Ben and Sam were bouncing in their seats; the whole house seemed to be in an uproar.

"This is great! I'm going to have another sibling." I was so happy. "I hope it's a girl. I'd love a little sister."

"Well, tell that to this little one." She pressed a hand against her belly. "We can find out in about two months."

"I have to tell Warren." I announced. "Can I go see him?"

"Is he allowed to do that at work?"

"I used to do it all the time." I explained. "MiMi likes me anyway, so she doesn't say anything when I come to visit." My parents looked skeptical. "What do you think I was doing those few months after school started? I went over there every night and hung out with Warren. Don't worry, I just want to tell him the good news." Scott finally relented and gave me the keys to his Porsche. That was my favorite car to drive. I was over at the Paper Lantern in less than five minutes, and I headed to the kitchen after greeting MiMi.

"Whoa, what are you doing here?" Warren asked. I kissed him on the cheek.

"Nice to see you too." I replied dryly. "I was in the neighborhood, and thought I'd pop in and say 'hello'." I grinned cheekily.

"Hello." He smirked back. He leaned down to kiss me fully on the mouth. "You're lucky it's not a busy night." I looked around to see hardly anyone in the restaurant. We went into the back, where he was helping cook some food. "Want some?"

"No thanks, I had some cabbage salad at home. My mom thinks that by cooking Chinese food, she'll have me home more often.

"Cabbage salad? Never heard of it."

"Oh, it's _so_ good." I told him. "It's cabbage, obviously, with bell peppers, mandarin oranges, and ramen noodles on top. Then she makes this sweet and sour sauce to mix it in. Amazingly enough, it makes me full."

"I'll have to pass it by MiMi." He thought aloud. "So what's the real reason you came in tonight?"

"There's going to be an addition to the family." I told him happily. He blinked for a moment and just stared at me. Then looked me up and down, which was hard to do, since I was sitting on the counter. "Isn't that cool?" He blinked again.

"You're pregnant?" His assumption caught me by surprise.

"What? No! My mom is, idiot." I told him. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"You were freaking me out there, for a minute."

"I thought you wanted kids."

"I do. But not this early in life, when I can barely support myself. I mean after a few years of marriage and when I have a real job."

"Oh. Well, at least you're smart about it." He kissed my forehead. A thought occurred to me. "What if I had been pregnant?"

"Well, you're not. So I don't need to worry about it."

"But what if I announced that you were the father of my baby right then and there? What would you have done about it?" He shrugged. "I mean, it passed through your mind for a minute. You must have been thinking about what to do."

"Well, yeah. But we don't need to worry."

"But what if?" I insisted. "What would you have done?" He sighed.

"I don't know, Charlie. I mean, we're both 18. What _could_ we do?" I shrugged. "Exactly."

"Well, I wouldn't give the baby up. I don't believe in abortion."

"Charlie, it's not something we need to worry about. You're not pregnant, your mom is. You guys are financially stable, and will be able to take care of another kid."

"But what if something happened?" I was persistent. "What if the condom broke, or I forgot to take the pill? What if something happened and I ended up pregnant? What would you do?"

"What would you do?" He asked back.

"I would talk to my parents, and get their support and help. You know they would help us."

"Yeah, but why are you worrying?"

"Because I'm just wondering. I mean, we're legal adults, and if I got a job, and we moved in together, whose to say it wouldn't work?"

"Kids can't raise kids." Warren answered. "And we're still kids." I exhaled sharply.

"Would you be against taking care of a baby at this age?"

"Of course I would be. I don't want to be and 18-year-old father. But I would do it if it were my own kid. Does that please you?"

"I don't want you to say things that please me. I want you to be honest." I told him. "If I had just told you that the new addition to the family would be our own, what would you have done?" Warren didn't respond. "Don't think about it, just tell me."

"I would have been surprised. Because we're careful." I nodded. "And then I would have us talk to your parents, because you're right, they would help us. And then I would ask you to move in with me."

"With your mom too?" He laughed.

"No, we would have gotten our own place. And you would have to get a job." I felt sheepish.

"Yeah, I know." Warren was scooting closer.

"And then I would go to all the doctor appointments, and would go shopping to pick out baby stuff, and would put up with your mood swings, even though I do that already." I grinned and punched him playfully. "The mood swings, not the other stuff." He joked again. "And then...well, I'd probably have to marry you." I rolled my eyes as he stood in between my legs, his hands resting on my thighs.

"Would you really?" He nodded. "You wouldn't leave because you thought you couldn't handle it?"

"Why would I leave?" I shrugged.

"Some guys can't handle having a kid so early in their life." I had lived for so long believing that my father had dipped once he found out he was having a kid, that it seemed real to me. I knew the facts now, but it didn't hurt any less. There was still an issue with the father thing, despite having Scott for more than half my life.

"Charlie, I wouldn't do that. I love you too much." I grinned.

"You really have gone soft." Warren smiled back. "But I love you too."

"Then trust me that I would never leave you in a sticky situation." He told me. "I promise to never leave you behind. Especially not when you need me to most."

"Pinky pact?" I held out my pinky, and Warren entwined his own with mine.

"Pinky pact."


	6. Chapter 6: Enough

**I am really falling in love with this story. The characters feel so much more real when I'm writing them with my own plot in mind.**

**By the way, the updates won't be coming as frequently as they have been. I feel bad, but it's my summer activities. Blame the hot sun for making me go away to other places. And I'll be staying in New Jersey for an entire month.**

**So I'm not sure when I'll be able to update, but I'll try to write some chapters when I'm not busy. Maybe Sinarval (my muse), will come out to play.**

**

* * *

**"Ah! I love summer breaks." I told Warren. "You get to stay up late, sleep in, and do absolutely nothing until your mom barks at you to get your lazy ass off the couch and help out around the house."

"Yeah, unless you have a job, and annoying sophomores who won't leave you alone." I chuckled.

"Was it Zack?" Warren nodded. "No one annoys me to hang out with them." I pouted playfully.

"Trust me, you don't want them to." I pouted until I thought of an idea.

"Hey! Let's go annoy them!" Warren raised an eyebrow. "C'mon, it will keep my mom from ordering me to do something, and you can get revenge." My boyfriend grinned sadistically. So we got dressed and took Warren's motorcycle so we could go annoy our sophomore friends.

We stopped at Will's house first. We figured that everyone might be there, since it had been our typical hangout before school ended. It kind of sucked because only Will and Layla were there. But we barged in while they were watching a movie, and headed to the kitchen without saying anything. We took virtually everything out of the refridgerator, as well as the pantry. And with that, we started throwing everything together, and eating our creations. And when we got full, we left, still not speaking to the two lovebirds. I wasn't aware if they noticed the mess we left for them, but they were sure shocked at our behavior.

We kept a straight face until we drove around he corner. Then we started cracking up. Next stop was Zack's place. He and Magenta were flirting to the extreme, though they weren't very good at it. It was amusing to see. Music was playing in the backround, and Warren and I sat down in the couch between them, ending their mushiness.

"Aw, little Zack is growing up!" I cooed, pinching his cheek.

"Magenta, I've warned you about the ways of men." Warren warned.

"Zack isn't a man though, War. He's still a little boy!" Magenta and Zack looked thoroughly confused, while the former was starting to get pissed.

"I was a sophomore once! I know what he's thinking when he's looking at this poor, innocent, young girl." My boyfriend replied, deepening his voice. I faked a gasp.

"My Zacky would never think such things!"

"You don't know that!"

"What if Magenta isn't as innocent as you believe?" Now Warren faked a gasp.

"Magenta, is-is this true?"

"What the hell are you two on about?" The young girl wanted to know. I gasped again.

"See, Warren? She curses! She's not as innnocent as you think!"

"I have been beguiled!" Warren exclaimed dramatically. We had to keep our smiles hidden. Giggles were threatening to escape. "How could you, Magenta?"

"Seriously, what the hell is going on?" Zack asked.

"No! Not you too, Zacky!" I wailed. I hugged him tightly. "You're not so innocent anymore."

"We've failed them, Charlie." Warren told me. "There's nothing left for us to do."

"Yes." I agreed somberly. "It's best if we take our leave." And out the door we went.

"You better start locking your door." I heard Magenta tell her boyfriend. Warren and I cracked up again.

"God, what are we gonna do with Ethan?" I wondered aloud. "He's too nice to annoy."

"Oh, I know!" Warren declared giggily. I laughed at this expression. "We could 'accidentally' break his chemistry set."

"You sick, sadistic bastard." I exclaimed. "This is the reason I keep you around." We laughed as we reached our nerdy friend's house. When we walked in, Mozart was playing. "Typical." I muttered. We roamed the house to find Ethan, but instead found his parents in the kitchen. His mother was sipping tea and reading a book, while his father was drinking coffee and reading the daily paper.

"May we help you?" a masculine voice asked. Warren and I jumped about ten feet.

"Er, we're here for Ethan." Warren replied.

"He's not here right now, he's at the science museum, tutoring some of the elementary school children." His mother gushed, clearly very proud of her son.

"Well, when is he going to be back?" I asked.

"Oh, he'll be gone all day. He has a part-time job as well." Ethan's mother answered.

"Overachiever." I grumbled so only my boyfriend could hear.

"That's not today, sweetie." Ethan's father told his wife tenderly. "It's every other day, remember?"

"Oh, that's right!" She exclaimed in a bright tone. "Why don't you stay here until he gets back? His session ends around three." It was 2:30.

"Oh, no thank you." I replied.

"Yes, stay. That way you won't have come here for nothing." The two sat us down and began talking to us about their life story, and everything about Ethan.

"Note to self: Never try to annoy Ethan." I muttered to Warren. "His parent's do enough."


	7. Chapter 7: Charlotte's Web

I had been right in my assumption that people would stop bothering Warren if he annoyed them. Will and Zack stopped barging in on him during work and at home, Layla and Magenta stopped calling him about random things, and Ethan...well, we hadn't seen much of him to begin with. But our annoying experiments kept the sophomores at bay, and my boyfriend and I were able to enjoy our time together in peace.

Of course, the summer went by quickly. And soon, I was writing my application to the Industry. Scott had written a letter of recommendation, as well as the Commander. I was actually surprised at the latter, seeing as how I was dating his arch enemy's son. But I guess that since I was friends with Will, he was happy to do such a kind act. Scott had brought up the idea of going to the gym again. My mom had been indignant, fussing that I didn't need to lose anymore weight, seeing as how my body was taking on the natural form of water, causing me to slowly build more muscle, and reduce my curves. But my stepfather had reassured her that my going to the gym would only ensure my fitness and strength. He didn't think I was fat. My mother's hormones were starting to get the best of her. It was amusing to see.

Warren had already written his application to the Industry, and was anxious to get his response. I kept assuring him that he would get in, since his powers were so extraordinary, but he refused to believe me until he saw it in print. And though I wouldn't admit it, I was starting to get anxious as well. It was our first choice of what us Supers considered college, even though it didn't offer courses a normal University would. It was a facility to train superheroes. And if I got in, Austin would automatically get in as well, since he was my hero support. So I could feel the pressure to get into this place. And I'm sure Warren did too, since Jack was relying on him for this as well. It was a top notch facility that trained the best of the heroes and their supporters. They weren't very lenient with whom they let in, so Warren and I were both holding out breath.

* * *

"Oh, my God! I got in!" I shouted one afternoon on the first day of August.

"Where? The Industry?" Warren asked excitedly.

"No, Harvard." I replied sarcastically. "Yes, the Industry. Look!" I handed him the letter, and let him read it. He returned it to me with a bright smile on his face. He swooped me up, and kissed me fully on the mouth.

"Congratulations, I'm so proud of you." He told me. By the look in his eyes, I could tell that he meant it. He was truly happy for me, and was excited that I was going to fulfill my dreams.

"I'm sure your letter will come in the next few days." I told him. "After all, you have a different zip code." He seemed happy that I was supporting him as well. It was what we did as a couple. We listened to what the other wanted, and supported them, no matter what. And I had a gut feeling that Warren would be accepted into the Industry, and I knew that he would work hard to become a great superhero.

"You'd better call Austin to tell him the good news." My boyfriend told me. I kissed him again and made for the phone, dialing my hero support's number. He answered right away, with enthusiasm that never seemed to fade.

"Austin, guess what?" I practically yelled into the mouthpiece.

"You're pregnant." He guessed sarcastically. It struck me as odd that two boys in my life had guessed that when I had something exciting to say. Warren was freaked out, and Austin had been sarcastic, but the thought process remained the same. It made me think.

"Um, no. Not even close."

"Just tell me. I hate guessing. That's all I did on my tests during school." That comment made me laugh.

"I got my acceptance letter to the Industry!" I screeched. "We're going to be trained by top notch superheroes!"

"Holy fuck!" Austin exclaimed joyfully. "Did you just get it?"

"Yeah! You and Warren are the only ones who know! My parents are at a doctor's appointment, and my brothers have a playdate!"

"There is a lot of yelling going on." Warren commented.

"We're excited!" I continued to shout. My manic expression made my boyfriend laugh. "You'll be acting like this when you get your letter, too!"

"If." Warren corrected. "If I get a letter of acceptance."

"Charlotte, tell your boyfriend to stop being a mamby pamby."

"What the hell?" Warren and I asked simultaneously. Austin laughed.

"Or a Debbie Downer. Whatever you want to call it. That's what my mom calls people when they're being negative." He explained. "Warren, I'm sure you'll get your acceptance letter. Elemental powers are so rare, and if Charlotte got in, then you must have also. The mail is so slow nowadays. It takes forever for them to deliver to different zip codes."

"That's what I told him."

"So don't worry about it. Just trust us on this." I nodded. "Well, I gotta go. I have a tutoring session at the science museum."

"Hey, that's where Ethan works!" I exclaimed. "I'll talk to you later, Austin."

"Bye." And we hung up. It seemed strangely quiet after all that excited yelling.

"Why does he call you 'Charlotte'?" Warren asked. "I thought you hated being called that." I shrugged.

"You call me by my real name." I pointed out. "And I haven't known Austin long enough to get mad when he doesn't call me by my nickname."

"I would have thought that it would be the other way around. He doesn't know you well enough to call you by your real name."

"What's in a name?" I quoted Shakespeare, pressing my hands against my heart dramatically. "That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet."

"You're a geek." Warren noted. I sighed; he wasn't getting it.

"It doesn't matter what people call me. I'm still the same person. I'm still your Charlotte." I told him. "Austin can call me by my real name any time he wants. But it doesn't have the same meaning as when you say my name." My boyfriend still didn't look convinced. "Austin and I don't have the same history. There isn't a backround story as to why he calls me by my birth name. You and I have a story about it."

_Flashback:_

_"Charlotte is such a stupid name." The 9-year-old Charlie whined to her friend._

_"Why do you think it's stupid?" The two friends were sitting on the swings one day after school; their backpacks lay carelessly in the sand._

_"Because I'm named after a spider." Warren looked astonished. "You know, the one in Charlotte's Web?" The sturdy boy nodded. "My mom told me about it last night. Ever since her mom read it to her when she was my age, she wanted her first daughter to be named 'Charlotte'. So here I am, named after a bug." _

_"I think it's a pretty name." Warren admitted sheepishly. He'd always been the more quiet one of the two. Charlotte did enough talking for the both of them. Warren never got tired of her, though. He liked hearing her talk._

_"I think I'll go by 'Charlie' from now on." Charlotte decided. "Yeah, it sounds like me."_

_"But that's a boy name." Warren protested. "And you're not a boy." His female companion merely shrugged. "I'm not going to call you that." He warned her._

_"Please, Warren?" Charlie begged. "I told you how much I hate my name." She paused for a moment. "Your name is cool." This got Warren's attention. "Warren Peace. It's like the book War And Peace."_

_"But see? I'm named after a book, too." Charlie shook her head._

_"It's not the same. You're named after the title. I'm named after a spider. And those are gross." Warren had to try to convince her to keep her name the way it was. He honestly liked Charlotte's name. It was pretty, and it suited her well._

_"Well, you like books, right?" Charlie nodded cautiously. "Maybe you could ask your mommy to read you Charlotte's Web. My mommy read it to me, and I liked it. And if you don't like your name even after you read it, then I'll call you 'Charlie'." Charlie sighed, but eventually agreed to the deal._

_Two days later, Charlie sat next to Warren during lunch. They had seperate classes during school, but they were allowed to sit wherever during lunch. So they sat outside on a picnic bench, their legs not yet long enough to reach the ground. They were both munching on sandwiches when Charlie spoke up._

_"I read the book."_

_"The whole book?" Warren looked impressed as his friend nodded. "Did you like it?" Charlie looked sheepish._

_"I cried when Charlotte died." She admitted. "But I was happy that Wilbur was saved from becoming bacon." Warren smiled._

_"That was my favorite part." They sat in silence for a moment. "So I can still call you 'Charlotte'?" _

_"Yeah." Charlie was reluctant. "But only you. No one else." Warren agreed. "Maybe when I die, it will be for my best friend. Someone I love." _

"Do you see my point, yet?" I asked my boyfriend. "There's history there." Warren pulled me close.

"You know what I always wondered?" I looked up at him questioningly. "Where did Charlotte get her babies?"

"From some hot spider named Warren." I replied instantly with a grin. Warren smirked devilishly as he kissed me, picked me up with my legs wrapped around his waist, and took me to my room.


	8. Chapter 8: Note

All right, first off, another apology must be written to go out to all my readers. I've recently been reading through all my fanfictions, and I've realized that I'm not entirely pleased with them. This is probably why I haven't updated in quite some time. My plan for making me fall in love with them again is to rewrite them entirely.

I've already rewritten Collision, but I wasn't thorough with it. Well, with any of my work. I'm just not pleased with the results. Not to mention, I've been taking Creative Writing classes that have helped improve my skills, and I want to adapt them to my stories on this site.

So I will be taking my stories down to rewrite them all to my satisfaction. Don't worry, they'll be posted again, but it might take a bit of time. I will also be finishing all of my stories before beginning to repost them. So, please bear with me, and be patient. I want to thank all of you who have kept with me, and continued to read my work, no matter how juvenile it can be. I hope you keep up with me with the reposts.


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